Max Verstappen's Mercedes move ruined by Red Bull offer that had nothing to do with money

Rumours are swirling that Mercedes are ramping up efforts to sign Max Verstappen from Red Bull come the end of this year. And it's not Toto Wolff's first attempt after the Silver Arrows team principal was previously thwarted in an early bid to bring the Dutch sensation into his stable.

Before Verstappen had even debuted in Formula 1, Red Bull snapped up their junior with a proposition that left Mercedes in the dust, guaranteeing him a drive in his rookie year. Mercedes were unable to match the proposition at that juncture and missed out on a generational talent in the process.

The futures of Mercedes' duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli currently hang in the balance. Both drivers' contracts are due to expire in December, though one would expect 18-year-old Antonelli to stay put given the potential he's demonstrated.

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Russell, 27, said this week there's an "exceptionally low" chance he isn't at Brackley in 2026 and isn't negotiating with rival camps, despite the words of Martin Brundle. Yet this staunch loyalty may seem overoptimistic considering the calibre of competitor allegedly in contention to take his spot.

Prior to pledging allegiance to Red Bull, a 16-year-old Verstappen entertained overtures from Mercedes and valued race minutes above all else. That's something Red Bull were willing to deliver by handing him a seat with sister team Toro Rosso (now rebranded as Racing Bulls).

Mercedes were left out of the loop as they couldn't promise him a 2015 seat, instead dangling the prospect of a spot at either Williams or the now-defunct Force India in 2016. Verstappen's agent, Raymond Vermeulen, backed their decision as "the right choice" in 2020, confirming Mercedes were indeed part of the discussions.

Red Bull's driver development chief, Helmut Marko, refuted the idea that Mercedes' offer spurred his team to sweeten their deal. Speaking in the summer of 2014, the Austrian stated: "I never asked what Mercedes was offering. We did our negotiations, built up our relationship and he decided to go with us."

Verstappen was quizzed at Silverstone on Thursday about whether he could envision himself driving for another team and responded: "I'm going to say no, because if I say yes, people will make up headlines again, and that's not what I want.

"I always said to the team it would be ideal, and I think they think the same way, to finish off my career in Formula 1 with one team. I think that would be something amazing, and that's what we are still trying to achieve."

Lewis Hamilton has spoken in favour of the potential transfer, saying he would "of course" endorse the move to his old team. However, Verstappen will have the ultimate say on a decision that has been years in the making.

Securing Verstappen's services is far from simple, especially as he still has three years remaining on his Red Bull contract. This stipulation means Mercedes would need to financially compensate their rivals if they wish to acquire the highly sought-after driver.

Speaking to Kleine Zeitung ahead of the British Grand Prix, Marko made his stance clear: "He hasn't signed and can't do it at all. It's just annoying now. The same questions keep coming up, we keep giving the same answers, because nothing has changed in the initial situation."

Currently third in the rankings and trailing 60 points behind McLaren front-runner Oscar Piastri, Verstappen appears set to relinquish his world champion status. His predicament isn't helped by Yuki Tsunoda stepping in for the underperforming Liam Lawson as his team-mate, while Red Bull lags behind in the constructors' standings, where they currently sit fourth.